Coin-controlled dispensing mechanism



Mayas, 192s.

E. M. ROBERTS ,COIN CONTROLLED DISPENSING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 11, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w Kvm lac- Patented May 19, 1925.

UNI-,T STATES Z'E'KIEI, MASON' Rennens, orsr.' Louis, MISSOURI".

eo'iv-oonrnornnn nisrnnsrne nner-ramen.

Applica-tiemfiled-September N., i922.4 Serial No. 587,568.

10 ull-whom t may concern:

Be it known thatEznK-IEL Mason ROBERTS, citif/:iniof the UnitedStates, residingK at St. Louie-inthe city of StLouis and State of Missouri, has-invented certain-new and usefu'l- Improvements in Goin-Controlled Dispensing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

The mainobject of the invention is to provide a" check or coin operated vending machine for liquids, of that type wherein a predetermined quantity is dispensed at each operation. y

More speciiically,the invention includes a faucet havingA adischarge chamber'l of predetermined size,v a' coiny receiving` chute, a trigger mechanism for locking` and unlockiigthe faucet operated by the insertion of a coin in the chute andA a mechanism for restoring the parts to` their normal position operated by the faucet.

The present invention also includes a discharge chamber which may be removed to permit the substitution of a chamberof. different size andl a 4valve in said chamber, closed by t-l'ieopening of the faucet,` whereby only a certain quantity of liquid can be dispensed, depending? upon the size of the discharge: chamber.

The` present inventionv also contemplates the installation in a cabinetl o'f al plurality "of dispensing arrangements as above outlined, thus making it possible to discharge a number of different varieties of liquids.`

Other objects will more clear-ly hereinafter appear by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part'olf the specification, and wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts 'throughout the several views, in which Figure l is a front elevation of a cabinet, a section being broken away to show an elevation of lsome of the parts.

Figure 2 is a top pla-n View of Figure 1and` FigureV 3 is a sectional elevation vshowing the vending and discharge mechanism.

Referring to Figures l and 2, a portable refrigerating cabinet is shown and indicated by A in which are arranged a plurality of Huid containers B of any desired number. Refrigerat'ing or cooling coils G are located in ice chambers' D located below the containers B and connect these containers B with thevending 'faucets E. Tl'ies'e faucetsE each control the discharge of fluid from one ofthe containers B and have check cr coin mechanism therefor.

Referring now to Figure 3, the faucet E includes a main chamber l, and anA auxiliary chamber 2, theA lat-ter including thewvalve seat 3 and the connection 4 by which communication is had with one of thecontainers B. The valve 5 off conical constructionseats on the seat 3 and is formed with elongated stem 6, the latter terminating in the handle or knob 7. Thecasing if has reduced portion 8 of cylindrical crosssection for the reception of the: reduced portion Q of the knob/7. The inner end of the reduced. casing. 8 is closed by the wall 10, this wall being. formed with a central opening through which the stem reciprocates, supporting such stem 6 and acting asia guide therefor. A spring. l1 is arranged between the inner endlof the knob portion 9 `and the inner face of the wall l0 for normallr' sea-ting the valve; 5. The washer 12 is provided asa precaution against leakage around the valve stein.

A threaded passage 11- is provided at a point below the main casing, and provides meansv for effecting communication between the auxiliary chamber and the measuring chamber l5. The bottoni of the chamber l5 is formed with a valve seat 16 for the reception of the valve l?. This valve l? is carried by an elongated stem l8,tand is located near the lower end of such stein, the latter projecting without the chamber for pivotal engagement with operating arms 19. Theupper end of the stein is held in position and guided by the. web guides 20 and 21, the former being located at a point below the center of the chamber and the latter being located within the reduced portion of the `chamber which is threaded into the passage 14 in the casing.

A camQQl is lixed to the lower side 'of` the valve stem G within the casing forniingthe 'auxiliary chamber 2i, and engages the valve stern 18 which projects within said auxiliary chamber. lt will be obvious that the opening of the valve caused by the inward movement `ofthe valve stein will result in t-he `cam 22 forcing the valve stem 18` downwardly 'and seating the valve 17.

7Within the 'main casing, between the outer end of the auxiliary chan'lber, and the inner face of the wall l0, is the pivoted stop 23,

formed-in theshape of a hook, the shank end Y being pivoted to the wall 10 and the hook end seating in a depression 24 in the valve stem. The hooked end is slightly enlarged at 25 to form the eye to which is fastened a cable 26, and to provide suflicient weight for causing same to seat in the depression 24.

The coin mechanism is located in the upper part ofthe cabinet and includes the main chuteV 27 and the auxiliary chute 28, the latter providing for the discharge of bogus coin through such mechanism or means as the magnet29. Below the main chute 27 is the coin receiver or stop 30 formed with dished endV 31 and shank 32, the latter terminating in the cross-arm 33. The cross-arm 33 is weighted at each end as at 34 and the entire mechanism is pivoted at the junction of the shank 32 and the cross-arm 33 by the pivot 35.

Below the coin receiver is the stop mechanism 36 in the form of a pivoted plate, the pivot being off center and spaced away from the central axis of the dished portion 31 of the coin receiver. For retaining the. plate 36 in normal horizontal position, the spring 37 is provided and engages the under face of the plate and rests on the support 8. A cable 26 connects the plate 36 at a point adjacent the spring with the valve stem 6, and to facilitate. free movement of this cable a plurality of suitably arranged pulleys 40 are provided. A similar cable 41 connects the outer end of the cross-arm 33 with the hook 25 heretoforementioned, and pulleys 42 similar to the pulleys 40 support and guide this cable.

A money drawer 43 is shown below the coin stop and receives such coins as pass through the main chute 27. Any desired form of lock may be provided.`

Referring now to the operation of the device and presuming that the faucet E is properly connected at 4 with the cooling coil C and through .this coil with one of the containers B, it will be seen that a coin inserted in the chute 27 will fall upon the coin support 31 causing the latter to swing downwardly upon its pivot 35 and engage the. support 36. This downward movement of the vsupport 31 will result in thel upward movement of the outer cross head arm to which is connected the cable 41Y and this cable 41 traveling over the various guide rollers 42 will raise the pivoted hook member 23 out of the depression formed in the valve stem at 24 and thus release the valve. By exerting `pressure on the valve knob 7 against the tension of the spring 11 the valve 5 is forced from the seat and the liquid from the container B flows through the cooling coil C and passage 14 into themeasuring chamber 15. Particular attention is called to the fact that the inward movement of the valve stem 6 will cause the engagement of the cam 22 with the upper end of the valve rod 18, forcing the latter downward and closing the valve 17. By this arrangement the quantity of liquid discharged cannot exceed the combined capacity of the measuring container and the auX- iliary chamber 2. Should it be desired to vary the amount of liquid dispensed at each operation a container similar to 15 but of different capacity may be substituted.

Attention is now directed to the fact that the inward movement of the valve stem 6 will'cause the discharge of the coin from the receiver 3l by virtue of the cable 26, one end of which is fixed to the valve stem 6 and the other end being connected to the stop mechanism so as to cause the downward movement of the plate 36. This operation is brought about by the fact that the weight of the coin when in the. support 31 is sufficient to counter-balance the weighted cross arm 33 and cause a downward movement of the support 31 on its pivot 35 until it contacts with the stop plate 36. The movement of the cable 26 caused by the inward movement of the stem 6 swinging the plate 36 downward on its pivot against the tension of the spring 37 permits the coin support 31 to swing further downwardly due to the weight of the coin as before mentioned, until a point is reached where the angle of the coin support will permit the coin to drop into the receiver 43. Y

Upon the discharge of the coin into the receiver the spring 37 causes the return of the plate. 36 and the weighted cross arm 33 returns the coin support. Vhen the container is full of liquid the valve will be permitted to close under the tension of the spring 11 and the stop 23 will again seat in the depression 24 and remain there until the insertion of another coin.

One of the important features of the apparatus is the provision of the cam 22 which holds the valve 17 in closed position as long as the main discharge valve. 5 is unseated thus making it impossible for more liquid than the combined capacity of the container 15 and the auxiliary chamber to be discharged. Vhen the valve 5 is seated the arms 19 may be pressed downwardly and the liquid dispensed through the valve 5 may be discharge-d into a suitable cup or receptacle. It is intended that the valve 17 shall be held in closed position normally by means, for instance, of a spring 44 although any other suitable means may be provided.

While the present construction shows generally the subject matter of the invention it will be obvious that numerous changes in details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. 1t is also intended that the present invention be utilized on various forms of cabinets, both stationary and portable. It will also be noticeable that any number of liquids may be dispensed depending upon the type and construction of the cabinet, the latter forming the subject matter of another application.

What I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, a reciprocating member, a lock for said reciprocating member, and means for operating,` said lock includingl a. coin chute, a coin trap, said coin trap being pivoted at one extremity and having lateral arms extending therefrom7 the opposite extremity being cupped to form a coin receiver, a weight carried by one of said arms, a flexible connection between the other lateral arm and the lock, a stop for said coin trap, and flexible means connecting said reciprocating member and stop to cause a downward movement of the latter upon movement of the former.

2. In a device of the class described, a reciprocating member, a lock for said reciproeating member, and means for locking said lock including a coin-chute, a coin trap including an elongated body member pivoted at one end, an arm projecting upwardly from the pivoted end of said coin trap and formed with a weight at its extremity, a downwardly projecting arm, a cable connecting said downwardly extending arm to said lock, a stop for said coin-trap, a spring for holding said stop in normal position, and a cable member connecting said stop to said reciprocating member.

In testimony whereof I atiX my signature.

EZEKIEL MASON ROBERTS. 

